NCT chief wants to reach out to more parents

First male NCT boss wants to reach out to disadvantaged parents

NCT ‘too middle class’

New boss wants to reach out

As many parents-to-be learn as they are about to embark on parenthood, the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) is there to offer antenatal and breastfeeding services to help them start on their new journey, but are these services available to all new parents? Apparently not.

The NCT’s new chief executive, Nick Wilkie, is the first ever male chief executive of the NCT and has spoken out about his ‘astonishment’ that so many parents-to-be are missing out on these services.

With classes costing £300 a course, the NCT’s services are not reaching many parents-to-be and Nick Wilkie is reported as saying that the service is too middle class and must do more to attract parents from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The NCT was originally set up in 1956 to promote natural childbirth and has been a support to many parents over the years in preparing for labour and help with breastfeeding.

Mr Wilkie was shocked to discover that 10 per cent of its 114,000 members come from the wealthy south-west London suburbs of Wimbledon, Dulwich and Clapham.

Mr Wilkie is reported as saying: “We are disproportionately middle class. We work all over the country and have projects in Styal prison [a women’s prison in Cheshire] and with refugees and asylum-seekers and new projects in some of the poorest parts of the country. But the 10 per cent statistic is a challenge.

“I want to expand our reach so more parents can get the benefit of our classes.”